The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-06-27
A LARGE PORK ROAST:
a FIRE AT UNION STOCK YARDS,
Chicago, Destroys Over Million aud n
Quarter Doliara Worth Of Property md @
Pork..itow tho Con migration stnrt.
ed.-rhe Scene OF tho Disaster.

CHICAGO, June GA million and a
quarter Of dollars went up in smoke at
the Union Stock Yards today. Early
this morning one Of the employees Of the
Chicago Packing and Provision Company
discovered a fire in the tank room. In q
few moments one Of tho tanks exploded
scattering burning lard over tho adjacent
building and dozen separate fires were
aoon competing with each other in tho de.
struotion Of the immense establishment.
Though the fire WAS struck out this even.
Ing, fourteen and one.halt hours after Il
started, the smothering embers continued
to laden the air with the fumes OF roast
pork and five acre oven will remain on
the promises red hot for at leas. a couple
Of days. ''f''
The Chicago Packing and Provision
Company's works occupy six acrep of
ground, but the fire was kept within tho
district bounded by Fortieth street. Con.
tre avenue, Forty-aecond street and TIM
railroad tracks, block west of Cenlre
avenue. This territory contained four
large buildings, The main building wan
SCo by 475 feet. In II a portion Of tho
killing was done, and the hanging, cnt-
ting, packing, curing and other work in.
cidental to a slaughtering establishment.
Except tho curing room, In which wern
10000. 900 pounds of short ribs, the main
building and its contents arc a total lops
The curing room, 100 by 100 feet and four
stories high, lott its roof, but the stone
nre ., walls aaved its contents, portion Of
them in roasted condition.
On the east side Of the main BUILDING
was the warehouse, 120 by 400 faet, with
tour stories and basement. The two un.
per floors at the south end, were used for
killing purposes. In the warehouse weyo
l7ooo barrels OF mess pork belonging 10
Armour & Co. The building and much
OF the pork was wholly destroyed. Abont
3Upo live hogs were In the building when
tho Tire started, but the compsny's EN-
ployes succeeded in getting most Of them
out. Between GOO and 700 hogs were
burned alive in the building. Back Of
the main building was the fertilizIng fss.
tory, 100 feet square, md the enigma
house, 30 by G5 feet. Both STRUCTURES wors
burned completely.
Perhaps the most exciting eceue the
day presented was when the men who
attempting to drive through the covered
way the live hogs in the uppcr storion
we're forced by the hanes to desiet. b..
low we're scores Of wotkmen rolling out
barrels OF pork. Down on the crowd pell
NELL ieaped dozens OF afIrighted animals
that had jumped from the windows or
sprang through the open hatchway. Men
who had braved the flames fleeing from
the falling hogs, at distance watched
Tor giimpsea OF the squealing brutes that
crazsd with pain were rushing mad.
ly about in their tall prison of
fire. About 200 barrels OF pork were
saved before the hogs commenced Jump.
ing. During the afternoon the fremeu
gave their attention to saving the short
ribs in the curing rooms. While a num-
ber OF the men..were inaide the main
building one o. the division walls IN.
serionsly ipjuripg J. a. SchaGer, Thomas
Murphy, W: ". White, Capt. Nichols
and Thomas Elliott,